1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a camera with a magnetic recording unit, and more particularly to a camera having a built-in magnetic recording unit that comprises a magnetic head and a pad and magnetically records data such as the date of photographing in a magnetic recording layer formed on a photographic film.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,328 discloses an advanced photo system (APS) camera, which has recently been on the market, employs a photographic film coated with a magnetic recording layer and writes data such as the date of photographing and photographic information in the magnetic recording layer by means of a magnetic recording unit having a magnetic head while the photographic film is fed during the photographing.
In the conventional magnetic recording unit of the APS camera, the magnetic head is fixed to a film pressure plate or a back lid of the camera, and a pad for pressing the magnetic recording layer of the film against the magnetic head is arranged at the opposite of the magnetic head across the film. The pad is attached to a leaf spring and is pressed toward the magnetic head by the leaf spring, so that the magnetic recording layer is pressed against the magnetic head by the pad.
FIG. 4 is a view of assistance in explaining the conventional arrangement of a pad 1 in a magnetic recording unit. The pad 1 and a leaf spring 2 are provided inside a fixed cylinder 4, in which a taking lens barrel is contained, formed at a body 3 of the camera. The leaf spring 2 is attached on a front face of a light-shielding rib 6 having an aperture 5. The pad 1 is arranged in an opening 7 formed in the light-shielding rib 6, and is pressed toward a magnetic head (not shown) through the opening 7 by the leaf spring 2. Consequently, the magnetic recording layer of a photographic film 8, which is fed between the light-shielding rib 6 and the magnetic head, is pressed against the magnetic head by the pad 1.
The length of the fixed cylinder 4 on the body 3 of the camera depends on the length of the taking lens barrel contained in the fixed cylinder 4. In order to reduce the size of the camera, it is necessary to minimize the length of the fixed cylinder 4. However, the camera with the conventional magnetic recording unit in FIG. 4 is constructed in such a manner that the pad 1 and the leaf spring 2 are arranged inside the fixed cylinder 4 and on the front face of the light-shielding rib 6. Hence, the fixed cylinder 4 is lengthened by thickness of the pad 1 and the leaf spring 2 in addition to the length required for containing the taking lens barrel, and the camera is large in size as a result.